Nova Stevens, Canadian Top Model With Inspirational Message On Beauty

Nova Stevens at 6 feet tall with legs that stretch for days and mahogany skin is nothing short of an African beauty.  Her inner beauty also shines through her soft spoken voice and heartfelt laugh. Originally from South Sudan, she arrived to Canada at the age of six to escape the brutal conflict there, leaving behind her mother in South Sudan and her father in Ethiopia. In Canada, with the assistance of the Youth Transition Program in Alberta, she became more independent having her own place and graduating out of High School at fifteen. She went on to earn a basketball scholarship out of High School. She also pursued modeling ending up in international publications in fashion capitals like New York, Paris and Milan, eventually making it as first runner up at the Supermodel Canada 2017 competition.

In 2018, she made it as a contestant at the Miss Universe Canada competition for the second time, a great accomplishment for any young model. Nova says she looked forward to this competition because she felt it would give her the

Miss Universe Canada 2018

opportunity to inspire young women to see their own beauty and to love themselves. This was also the reason for the brave decision to compete this year with a short hair do, unlike the long weave she donned

the last time she competed in 2016.  And even though she didn't make it to the final round, she hopes her message of self acceptance and love came across well. I think it did because she also revealed that many young girls and women thanked her for inspiring them in this competition.

When asked about her family, Nova hesitates a bit. It is a sensitive subject as she is yet to reconcile with her parents due to the ongoing conflict back home. This she hopes to change in the near future. When asked about her future plans, she says acting and lots of travelling.

Nova is big on giving back. When she is not working she is involved with keep6six, an organization dedicated to providing second chances to former prison inmates. To learn more, you can visit www.keep6ix.org. You can also check out her Instagram page @thenovastevens.

By Ebele Chizea.

PS: Audio version coming soon!